Russian Defense Ministry, via Sputnik

"Four Russian servicemen have been killed in Syria as a result of shelling by militants, the Russian Defense Ministry said. ‘Several groups of terrorists attacked an artillery battery of the Syrian government forces at night in the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor. Two Russian military advisers, who directed the fire of the Syrian artillery, were killed on the spot. Five more servicemen were injured and were taken to the hospital immediately,’ the ministry said."

On May 27, Russian media quoted the country’s Defense Ministry as saying two servicemen were killed on the spot and two others died in the hospital from the injuries sustained during shelling in Syria’s Deir Ezzor province. Independent observers claim at least nine Russian troops killed in the attack.

Yuri Shvytkin

State Duma Defense Committee

“How could they establish the fingerprints? They do not have a database that could identify biometric data (of Russian servicemen)… but how can they identify the real fingerprints of a serviceman who is serving?”RIA: The comment is “nullified.”

RIA Novosti admitted the Joint Investigation Team’s reference marks on the Buk surface-to-air missile system that could be used to identify it, comparing them to “fingerprints.” They were not talking about actual human fingerprints.

Maria Zakharova

Press secretary, Foreign Ministry, Russia

“The initiative that seems to be useful at first glance and aimed at helping sports observers cover the main football event occurring every four years actually turned out to be nothing but more Russophobia, trivial anti-Russian stereotypes."

Zakharova criticized a handbook for journalists covering the World Cup in Russia next month. Produced by human rights groups, the handbook chronicles abuses of rights and freedoms committed by the Russian state, both during preparations for the 2018 World Cup and more broadly. It also recommends what foreign reporters should cover beyond sports.

RT

Op-ed

“U.S. envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker went to the Kiev-controlled side of the conflict zone in the eastern Donbass region, where he declared American military support for retaking the breakaway self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk.”

Britain’s parliament recently issued a report on the subject of ill-gotten money from Russia flowing into the United Kingdom. However, this is only part of an effort to expose money laundering and other financial crimes by requiring investors to disclose the source of assets that are deemed disproportionate to their owners’ declared income.

Vladimir Putin

President, Russia

“That is an unprecedented thing. They are attempting to bring high treason charges against a person for what he did publicly and for performing his professional duties. I haven’t seen anything like this in a long time.”

Many nations, including Russia, have charged journalists with high treason. Despite Putin’s claim that he has not seen anything like this in a long time, he actually has – the case against Russian journalist Grigory Pasko, who was imprisoned on high treason charges

Press service of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR)

“…When NATO service members, escorted by Ukrainian militants, were visiting today the combat contact line in the vicinity of Avdiivka, the (Ukrainian Armed Forces) command purposefully led the guests into their minefield, where a car with the foreigners was blown up by a landmine. As a result, three NATO servicemen from Canada were killed and two from the U.S. were injured.”

Donetsk People’s Republic officials, followed by Russian state media, released false information about the death of several NATO soldiers near the village of Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine. The Voice of America’s Ukrainian service, citing several sources, reported that no NATO servicemen were in the Donbas, and that no NATO members had reported losses.

President Putin's statement that life expectancy in Russia has reached almost 73-years-old is close to latest international statistics. It's a number he cited in justifying a lack of strong electoral opposition. Russian life expectancy still lags behind the remainder of Europe.

RT

Russian state-funded news agency

A former British ambassador to Syria told RT the OPCW ‘s claim that chlorine was "likely used" in Saraqeb, Syria, in February is "seriously misleading" because it is based on evidence provided by “jihadists.”

The “jihadists” referred to in the RT story are actually members of Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets. The claim that they are jihadists is a conspiracy theory promoted by the Syrian and Russian governments, and RT’s source has worked for a pro-Assad government lobby group.